AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 204, 29 August 1934, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

MAJESTIC THEATRE,

The fine English, picture, "Song of the Plough," continues to attract enthusiastic audiences at the Majestic Theatre. It appeals especially for its typical English countryside scenes of the beautiful Sussex Downs and for its superb photography, which challenges the best in the world. It is interesting to note that the two leading actors have personal experience of the roles they play. Stewart Rome, who plays the sheep farmer, was once a sheep farmer in Australia, while Allan Jeayes, who plays the rival agriculturist, was the owner of a farm before he took lip his stage career in 1900. Incidentally. Reginald Pounds, the literary editor o£ the "Daily Mail," who wrote the story, lives near Lewes, where the locale of the film is played, and John Baxter, tho director, spent many months in Sussex studying farming conditions at first hand. There is a splendid supporting programme, including a scenic, "Londj , ). City of Tradition," and an amusing carl.oon. A thriller of a novel type and one of tho most striking horror films ever made, "The Mystery of the Wax Museum," is to be released on Friday. It is novel in that it is filme.i entirely in colour. The picture is beautiful, too, in its subject, the great wax museum, around which centres one of the most baffling of mysteries. Persons disappear, and no trace of them i.? found. A whole series of mysteries baffles the police, and it is only when a newspaper girl, brilliantly played by Glenda Farrell, obtains an idea of the connection between tho mysteries anrl the wax museum that the plot begins to unravel. Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray also have prominent roles in the picture.

ST. JAMES' THEATRE. The screen has long been adept at shuffling clues, 6hadows, suspects, gumshoe Hawkshaws and psychic amateur detectives into the stuff of entertaining mystery melodrama. "The Thin Man," which will replace Johnny Weissmullcr's "Tarzan and His Mate" at the St. James' Theatre on Friday, pushes on to new frontiers in this genre of the cinema by reason of its success in being genuinely and irresistibly funny. Nick Charles, in William Powell's excellent person, becomes the most agreeable sleuth of the year with the help of his sense of humour and his insistence on regaining a quart of whisky as of" more immediate significance than the identity of the mysterious killer. With Myrna Loy as the wife, the Charleses compose the most amusing married couple the screen has presented in a long time. If there is anything they prefer to one martini, it_ is six. In "The Thin Man," during their brief vacation in New York, they perform feats of guzzling that should drive the big-time tipplers in this vicinity into permanent hiding. The Charleses, in sober truth, constitute a wind of such robust and cleansing strength that, if the Hollywood maharajahs are watching the direction of the public weather vanes, they will immediately assign their script writers to consider the curious spectacle of a married couple who are also' amusing. "The Thin Man" offers a captivating and highly enjoyable humorous melodrama and seta something of a high mark for the type of entertainment it represents.

PLAZA THEATRE. The thrilling Australian bushrnnging romance, "Stingaree," will give pride of

place at the Plaza Theatre' to-morrow to a dramatic film of a strikingly different type. This is "Journal of a Crime," in which Ruth Chatterton makes her first film appearance since "Female" a , while back. In the role of a highly-sensitive woman of fine.breeding who is goaded into committing murder to keep a ruthless love pirate from wrecking her home, she gives a character portrayal that is masterly, superior even to her work in "'Frisco Jenny" or "Madame X." Her interpretation of the warped and tortured spirit of a woman suffering not only from the commission of the act of murder but the hatred and the scorn of the husband she loves more than life, together with the crushing realisation that another is accused of the crime, is said to be quite up to the standard which Miss Chatterton has always set. Adolpho Menjou, most suave of screen leading men, is the infatuated husband who turns successively to hatred upon discovering his wife s guilt, then to scorn, and finally to pity that leads to a strange rebirth of love. Our own Noel (Nat) Madison has yet another striking "heavy" role in the part of a criminal accused, despite his innocence, of the murder. Noel Madison gives an excellent portrayal, as does Douglas Dumbrille in the role of the prosecutor who scuds him to the guillotine, and George Barbier as the producer in whose theatre the drama centres. CIVIC THEATRE.

After herl magnificent performance in "Only Yesterday," Margaret Sullayan is assured of a great welcome from Aucklanders when her second starring picture, "Little Man, What Now?" is released at

the Civic Theatre on Friday, replacing the current English musical romance,

"Evergreen," which, brings that delightful personality Jessie Matthews back to the screen after a lamentably long absence. The role which Carl Laemmle, jun., gave Miss Sullavan for her second vehicle is said to have been a powerful one, and one which called for actions based on emotions and ideas almost coincidental with those held by the star herself on social problems o£ to-day. Lammchen and Johannes are the two central characters, with Douglass Montgomery, the ertswhile Kent Douglass of "Waterloo Bridge" and other films, in the latter part. Lammchen, as those who read '.'Little Man, What Now?" will remember, is a young girl of to-day struggling valiantly to overcome the handicaps imposed upon her by the economic depression. She and her young_huspand, portrayed on the screen by Douglass Montgomery, represent the modern couple, in that they have barely enough money to live on, have a child to care for and meet one discouragement after another. Their future looks hopeless. Together, however, they contrive to find happiness. Lammchen retains her independence and sense of humour. She will never give in or admit defeat. Head up, always, she meets each problem with the same unfailing courage and eventually succeeds in finding a hopeful solution, as many women in real life are doing to-day.

STRAND THEATRE. No less than 40 first-rank stare or featured players of Hollywood's rolls are included in the cast'of "Alice In Wonderland," in which the talking screen makes its first attempt to portray the story and characters immortalised by Jjewis Carroll. The one star who does not appear in "fancy'dress" is Alice, who is played superbly by Charlotte V. Henry, an unsophisticated miss, whose air is just the type needed for the story. Aβ is not generally understood, thia film is entirely suitable for adult entertainment; indeed more so than for children, who may become bored by a full-length picture on one subject, even if it is fantasy. Children can never settle down to read a book through, and could hardly bo expected always to enjoy every bit of a long film. 'J'lie production shows a magnificent degree of skill in photography and direction, and ie certainly one of the triumphs of the year for Hollywood. WARED SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. The Mareo Symphony Orchestra's fourth concert of the 1934 season will be held in the Town Hall on Thursday, September 6, when the featured selection will be Beethoven's 9th (Choral) Symphony. Miss Doris Bransgrove, Mrs. Gwen de Berg, Mr. Roger Errington, and Mr. William Gemnjell will be soloists. COMMUNITY SINGING. "Albert's Joy Night," to judge by the attendance, by the heartiness of the singing, and—last but not least—by the takings,' was an unqtialified'euccees." Heid last evening in the Town Hall in aid of the boys' work of the' Y.M.C.A., the gathering, contributed some £40. Mr. Grey Campbell, chairman of the community singing committee, presided. Mr, Albert Russell was song leader, and many well-known local artiste appeared in a programme of popular and old-time eoags.

REGENT THEATRE. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in "The County Hospital" are responsible for a thoroughly enjoyable first half to the current fare at the Regent Theatre, where the .main film screening at the moment is "Love, Life, and Laughter," the fourth vehicle made at Ealing, London, starring Lancashire's famous musical comedy actress Gracie Fickle. Miss Fields wae stated earlier this year to be receiv'ng upwards of £150,000 a year for stage, screen, and radio work—undoubtedly a world record for entertainers. In his latest book, "English Journey," J. B. Priestley pays Gracie Fields a tribute. He touches on the fact that when you hear the Lancashire accent, say, in Manchester, you are liable, if you are a Southerner, to imagine that you have landed among a million music hall comedians . . . "that rather flat but broad-vowelled epeech is admirable for comic effect, being able to suggest either shrewdness or simplicity. ... It may add no charm or prettiness to a woman's talk, but it con give it flavour, body, character, as it does iti the eonjts and patter of Miss Gracie Fields, who is not only the most popular and most dominating personality of the English variety stage, but is also a sort of essence of' Lancastrian femininity. . . . All the qualities are there—shrewdness, homely simplicity, irony, fierce independence, an impish delight in mocking whatever ie thought to be affected and pretentious. That is Lancashire." And this from a Yorkshireman. NATIONAL AND PRINCE EDWARD. Tho first half of the programme being screened at the National Theatre is devoted to Walt Disney's clever cartoons. There are three beautiful "Silly Symphonies" and two humorous Mickey Mouse cartoons. The principal film 19 the splendid comedy-drama "Looking For Trouble," in which Spencer Tracy, Jack Oakie ant) Constance Cumniings take the principal roles. A splendid double-feature programme, headed by the gripping mystery drama, "The Warren Case," will be screened at both the National and Prince Edward Theatres on Friday. "The Nuisance," the second film, is a fine comedy-drama. There ie a particularly strong cast, including Lee Tracy, Madge Evans and Frank Morgan. The story is fast-moving and full of comedy touches.

"THE YOUNG IDEA." A song by Noel Coward lias been incorporated by the Garrick Dramatic Society's producer, Miea Raio Robinson, into the forthcoming Auckland production of Coward's second play, "The Young Idea," which is to be staged in the Town Hall Concert Chamber to-morrow evening and again on Saturday. AMUSEMENT GUIDE. HIS MAJESTY'S—"The Dubarry." PICTURE THEATRES. , NATIONAL—Spenrer Tracy end Jack Oakle In "Looking ,, For Trouble." PRINCE EDWARD—Joan Crawford and Clarke Gable In "Possessed." LONDON —William Boyd in "His First Command." REGENT—Grade Fields In "Love, Life and Laughter." STRAND—Charlotte Henry and Ed. Everett Horton in "Alice in Wonderland." ST. JAMES' —Johnnie Welssmuller and Maureen O'Sulllvan In "Tarzan and His Mate." MAJESTIC—"The Song or the Pious*. ,, ClVlC—Jessie Matthews and Sonnle Hale In "Evergreen." ROXY AND TIVOLI—Otto Kruger In "The Crime Doctor" and Joan Blond ell in "I've Got Your Number." PLAZA—lrene Dunne and Richard Dlx in "Stlngaree." ADELPHI—Guest Nlgtot. AMBASSADOR—Guest Night. ALEXANDRA—"Easy to. Love." AVONDALE—"TIIIIo and Gus." BIRKENHEAD—"My Weakness." BRITANNIA —"Paddy the Next Best Tiling-." CAPITOI "Carolina." CRYSTAL PALACE—"Such Women Are

Dangerous." DELTA —"TIie Squatter's Daughter." DE LUXE —"Just Smith." EDENDALE— Guest Night. EMPIRE— Guest Night. EMPRESS —Guest Night. GAIETY (Takapuna) —"Hayseeds." grey LYNN cinema—"Blonde Bombshell." KING'S—"3 On a Honeymoon." KINGSLAND —"Aunt Sally." REGENT (Epsom)— " Tell Mβ To-nigllt." RIALTO —"Such Women Aro Dangerous." STATE (Onehunga) —"Princess Charming.' , STATE (Symonds Street) —"The Dancing Lady." STRAND (Onehunga) —"Sorrell and Son." TUDOR —"The night to Romance." VICTORIA —"A Ticket In Tatt's." WEST END —Guest Nlgtit.